Improvement in potato-diggers and stone-gatherers



J. T. FOSTER.

Potato' Digger.

Patented June 29, 1852. i

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. FOSTER, OF'NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPI 'tOVEMENT IN POTATO-DIGGERS AND STONE-GATHERERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 9,069, dated June29,1852.

. ing on the axis of a set of cart-wheels a roller having a series ofrows of pins, of suitable lengths for the purpose required, secured inits periphery, and combining with the same an apron having a series ofteeth in it for raking or gathering the stones or other articles as itis being dragged over the surface ot'the ground, and also a dischargingtrough or plate having a series of teeth attached to it, and projectingbetween the pins over on the top of the roller, so that as the stones orother articles are gathcred or raked up by the teeth of the apron andcarried up by the pins on the roller they are discharged on the teeth ofthe discharger trough or plate to fall into the box for containing them.I

To describe my invention more particularly, I will refer to the annexeddrawings, forming a part of this schedule, the same letters referring tothe same parts wherever they occur.

Figure l is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe same, having one of the wheels removed from the axle-tree to exhibitthe roller, apron, and dischargingplate. Fig. 3is a plan view of theapron'roller and discharging-plate.

LettersAA are the wheels ofa cart, arranged on an axle-tree, B. Letter 0is the frame of the cart and shafts attached thereto. To the side ofthis frame is a box, D, into which the stones, potatoes, or otherarticle is deposited. The position of this box is not material, as itmay be placed between the shafts or other part of the cart-frame to thesame advantage, and therefore its arrangement is not deemed essential solong as the object is attained by having the box in any convenient placefor collecting the stones, &c., picked up.

Letter E is a roller secured on the axle-tree of the cart-wheels, havinga series of rows of pins secured in its periphery. This roller may bemade of wood or metal, or of wood cdred with metal, and of any sizerequired for the uses to which it is applied.

F F, &c., are the series of rows of pins, which are made of wood ormetal some six to twelve inches (more or less) in length, and set infour or more rows lengthwise across the rollers, and two to four (moreor less) inches apart. The object of these plus is to carry up the stoneor other article that is raked or picked up by the teeth of the apron G,surrounding the back part of the roller. This apron is of iron, having aseries of teeth, g g, &c., at its lower edge for the purpose of rakingor picking up the stones, potatoes, 850., from the ground as the machineis carried forward.

H H are two ear-pieces attached to the back of the apron for securin git in position between the frame of the cart. This apron is intended tohe made adjustable by means of the can pieces or other suitablecontrivance for the purpose of regulating the dip of the teeth, so as toadapt it to the various uses of a stone or potato gatherer, or otherpurposes to which it may be applied.

LetterI is the discharger trough or bed, having an outlet to the box Dfor the deposit of the stones, 85c. Attached to this trough are a seriesof teeth, J J, &c., passing between the pins on the roller, andextending over and on it to near its highest point, so that as the stoneor other article is carried over the roller by the plus it readily rollson the ends of the teeth, and as the pins recede between the teethallows it to fall down the lateral downward inclination of the teeth onthe bed of the trough and so to the deposit-box. As the points of theteeth J are liable to get blunted or bent up, it is intended, should itbe required, to cut grooves or channel-ways round the periphery of theroller for them to run in, so as to be level with the surface of theroller. It is also presumed that themode of discharging the stones orpotatoes, &c., may be varied as to position and inclination, anddirection of the mode of discharging, and therefore I desire it to bedistinctly understood that I do not limit myself to this precise detailof my invention, but consider my invention to consist in the use of anyanalogous devices for the purposes described.

Having now described my invention, I will explain its operations:

When the machine is put in operation, the teeth of the apron being setso as to take up the stones and the cart moved forward, they aregathered on the points of them, as seen in Fig. 2, and by the action ofthe pins on the roller as it comes round are lifted up on the points ofthem between the apron till by their gravitation they fall on ,the faceof the roller at the top, and by means of sides to the roller, should itbe necessary to use them, are carried over and on the ends of the teethJ J, which, passing up between the pins, and having an inclinationbackward and downward, allow the article or substance to fall into thedepositbox as soon as the pins pass down to the under side of the rollerto carry up again in like manner a second load.

Having now set forth the nature of my invention, I will proceed to statewhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The use of theroller E, having a series of rows of pins in its periphery, and securedon an axle-tree of a cart or other moving apparatus, in combination withan adj ustable apron, G, having teeth in it, and a discharging-plate, J,having teeth in it, substantially for the purpose of gatherin gstones,potatoes,fruit, or other substances or articles and depositingthem in a box, as hereinbefore set forth.

' J. T. FOSTER.

Witnesses:

CHAS. L. BARRETT, WILLIAM H. DURYEA.

